The Indiana State sentinel. [volume] (Indianapolis) 1868-1895, 1887-10-05
WOMEN AND THE BALLOT.

The SENTINEL willingly publishes the
subjoined communication. 1t speaks for
women's rights, and the question it dis
cusxes is evidently growing in prominence.
The women have a right to be heard, and
he SUNDAY SENTINEL gives them splendid
audience. The letter in question is as fol-
lows:
EDITOR SUNDAY SENTINEL: | was inter.
ested in the editorial, Women aud the Bal
lot" in the Sunday iseue of September -,
and hope some Of Indiana's gifted
daughters of national renown will acc lot
the challenge, ''The question is up for de-
bate and those who are inclined can state
their views" and thank you for the Oppor-
tunity of discussing the right and the
necessity of the political emancipation OF
2G 600. O00 Of Americas law-abiding citi-
zens. Carl Schurz says: Newspaper re
uorters are the guardians of truth and
personal liberty" and IL may be added,
newspapers are the advance guard OF scien-
tific aud human progression, and the only
educational avenue through which the
masses may be reached.
The statement: I'm government OF the
people it is the ballot that declares wal"
is true. Hence the greet necessity oil hay
ing the representation OF the peace loving
be more in accordance with tbs known
laws of human nature and the historical
facts of woman's legislative ability TO sup
pose that national difficulties would more
often be settled by arbitration If political
equilibrium was formed by a union OF
mans reason, logic and self reliance, with
woman's intuition, feeling and consclencs,
than the direful forboding: The bugle call
to arms may come through woman's suf
~
women are not public enemies but friend.
to the common wesl History has demon.
strate the truth of Plato's assertion, 'Iu
the administration of a State, neither q
woman IS q woman, nora man as man
has any special function, but the gifts are
equally diffused in both sexes" The fam
lily is the type OF the State, and our govern
ment is an aggregate Of families without {
wife, sister, sweetheart or mother: there
fore the great disorder of the national brio
a-brac and undusted upholstery. Ii dis
ability to bear arms in military service Il
fatal to full citizenship, why are men phys
ically disabled, or past the years of c0nscrip
ton not disfranchised2
LAURA G. scoFIsLD.
Kokomo, Ind.
It will be noticed that our correspondent
frankly declares that the ballot may de
clare war, but seeks to overcome the dit
Guilty which the Sentinel pointed out, b.
intimsting that women are "peace loving
and IL they had the ballot, nations wouli
learn war no more; that spears an,
swords would at once be transformed int
agricultural Implements and the millen
ial era would dawn forthwith. 1t is a the
DRY glowing with prospective fruitions, on
alas. alsck, the idea Of women ''arbitrat
ing" is altogether too fanciful, too vision
airy, to be immediately adopted. Womsl
don't arbitfste worth 3 cent. 1t has lon
since passed into proverbial philosoph,
that when q woman will, she will
and when she wont, she won't
and hence, an equilibrium thougl
possible is never probable, whel
men and women differ about politics an
religion, Give . woman the ballot and sh